376: Chapter 174: Eldest Miss Li’s Sect Legacy 376: Chapter 174: Eldest Miss Li’s Sect Legacy “The waters of the Qian King’s Mansion are very deep, Director Qin has oversimplified this matter.”
While supervising the training, Old Master He casually chatted with Wang Yunxiao, puffing on his cigarette between conversations.
“Master, are you also familiar with the Qian King’s Mansion?”
“What do you mean, familiar?
Back when the Qian King’s Mansion hadn’t moved to the Capital, I even stayed there!
I knew exactly which dishes the Princess Consorts around Old Master Wang preferred!”
How true it is that a house with an elder is like a treasure chest.
Old Master He’s rich life experience left Wang Yunxiao in awe.
There’s no doubting his tall tales, for the old man truly lived through an entire era of turmoil; just surviving until now is a skill in itself.
“Then tell me, just how deep are the waters of the Qian King’s Mansion?”
Wang Yunxiao was very curious about this because he couldn’t imagine the scenario.
Just the tip of the iceberg that the Qian King’s Mansion had revealed was already eye-opening for him.
Who knows what tricks the Qian King’s Mansion might have up its sleeve?
Do you watch the news from Florida every day and expect to predict the new tricks of the Floridians the day after tomorrow?
Old Master He gave him a look: “Old Master Wang himself actually isn’t worth mentioning.
If he had any real talent, he wouldn’t have wasted so many years.
Calling him mediocre is actually a compliment.
His only strength is that he’s obedient, but his weakness is also his obedience.”
“He’s easily swayed and lacks his own resolve, so he’s open to any suggestion.”
“The high officials in the court love an Emperor like this.
If it weren’t for the troubled times, his throne would have been secure, beyond challenge.”
“The real problem with the Qian King’s Mansion doesn’t lie with Old Master Wang but with the older generation who are unwilling to give up their power.
However, they lack the capability to fight against the era, against the foreigners, against the President and her bold warriors.
Thus, they can only put the Qian King’s Mansion out in front and cheer for it.”
Unexpectedly for Wang Yunxiao, Old Master He’s assessment of the Qian King was actually rather fair.
“The Qian King’s Mansion is their last shred of dignity; if you strip that away, they’ll be left with nothing to cover their shame.
The ancients knew the principle of not pursuing a defeated adversary too hard, and now they are the defeated.
Instead of humiliating them and driving them to desperation, it’s better to let them continue rotting and stinking.
That’s the thinking of the big shots above, and it’s not entirely wrong.”
Old Master He curled his lip, revealing a hint of disdainful sneer.
“Believe it or not, if the President were to throw a couple of bones their way, those gathered in the Qian King’s Mansion would fight amongst themselves like dogs.
But the President has always set her sights higher and hasn’t even been willing to spare them bones.”
“Don’t be fooled by the officials above passing the buck and shirking responsibilities, acting as if the Qian King’s Mansion was some fearsome beast.
In truth, who really cares about the fate of the remnants of the former dynasty?
What the senior officials truly care about is the benefits they can reap from this situation.
They aim to respect the greater picture and align with the main contradiction.
Knowing when to do what and what to say, the subtlety of managing that balance is beyond the understanding of those blathering idly in teahouses.”
Wang Yunxiao thought to himself, sorry, but I’m one of those who rant in teahouses, and your words are making me sweat.
“What about Director Qin…”
“Director Qin is a fine blade,” Old Master He cheerfully dropped this remark and then went silent.
You’re right, I feel like that’s exactly how I appear in Director Qin’s eyes.
Wang Yunxiao was very self-aware about this.
Then, involuntarily, his gaze drifted to the young girl practicing horse stances on the field with her brothers.
Ever since he had rescued Li Mumu, he had brought her back to school and reported her situation to Principal Zhou.
The principal didn’t say much.
As someone who was aware of the temporal-spatial tidal disasters, he had a very calm demeanor towards sudden appearances or disappearances of persons.
The adaptability of humans is actually quite formidable.
It is said that back when the British were powerful and glorious, their family recipes included more than just fish and chips, according to Beckland’s gourmet guide.
It was only after World War II, when the country was in short supply of resources, that there were only fish and chips left…
Eventually, they got used to it.
Principal Zhou called Mu Yuming over directly and gave him a severe scolding.
Mu Yuming felt incredibly wronged.
He knew nothing, and in his memory, his daughter had never been lost.
It was true that there was a bit of hereditary mental illness in his mother’s family, but he couldn’t talk back in front of Principal Zhou.
Later, Li Mumu didn’t return home, and Mu Yuming even sent Jiang Yinyin over to take care of her daily life.
After living at the school for two days, Li Mumu seemed much more spirited, though she still appeared dazed.
Her responses were no longer so slow, and she could remember other people’s names.
When she was in a good mood, she would even treat everyone to a meal out of her own pocket.
After treating everyone to a meal twice, Wang Yunxiao even felt that his brothers started to look up to her with reverence.
This time they invited Old Master He to give training, and Li Mumu also joined them in the exercise.
She only needed to look at Wang Yunxiao’s Secret Manual once and she could perform each move accurately.
Wang Yunxiao just felt amazed, while Old Master He was completely stunned.
“Who did you learn martial arts from?”
“I haven’t learned…”
“She really learned?”
Li Mumu had a blank expression, while Wang Yunxiao was somewhat frightened.
Previously, when Li Mumu told him she knew martial arts, he thought she was joking.
She knew it, but never learned?
What does that mean?
It wasn’t completely forgotten?
Unlike Wang Yunxiao, a layman with limited skill, Old Master He had a discerning eye.
As soon as he saw Li Mumu’s opening stance, he felt something was amiss: “You’re not practicing boxing; you’re practicing Claw Technique.
What else do you know?
Show me a full set!”
Li Mumu, hearing his request, went through a symbolic demonstration.
Wang Yunxiao watched her and thought her movements were soft and sluggish, like a kitten kneading milk, which he found quite amusing.
Old Master He, on the other hand, could not laugh.
After watching, his expression became grave.
“Really, no one has taught you?
Do you know the name of this claw technique?”
Li Mumu tilted her head and thought for a moment: “Women’s Self-Defense Technique?”
Old Master He almost choked on his saliva and could barely breathe.
Calm again, he spoke seriously to Li Mumu: “You should not reveal this skill casually in front of others in the future, or it could easily bring you unnecessary trouble.”
After Li Mumu left, Wang Yunxiao couldn’t help asking Old Master He: “Master, is there something inappropriate about her skills?”
Old Master He looked at him deeply and said in a low voice: “Keep this to yourself and don’t go spreading it around.
Since she has returned from overseas, I have an idea about it.
The consequences behind this are too great for you to bear, so it’s better not to ask too much.”